Prophet (Education) Ministries

As a faith community, we Learn and Educate. We are a Prophetic community.

Education is an on-going process. It is not limited to school formation and classroom development. What we do, what we say, how we do things, and how we say them as witnessed by another person, whether a child or an adult, may be one way of educating or influencing a person. One’s actions and words may be the invitation that draws a person to church. However, we have various programs and processes that enable and facilitate the formation of adults, youth and children in the growth to Christian life.

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA): This program is especially designed for adults and older teens who have not been baptized and/or received First Communion and/or been Confirmed. This process prepares adults and older teens for the reception of these sacraments as individually needed. The RCIA also welcomes those seeking full communion with, or those wishing to join the Catholic Church for the first time.

Encounter with the Faith: This is a formation program designed to help adults strengthen and renew their faith:

a. Enlightenment: a program developed to help adults renew their faith and be enlightened once more on the Catholic faith.

b. Sojourners: a program developed for the formation and guidance for Sacramental parents and sponsors of those receiving the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

Encounter with the Word: Different Bible Study groups gather to enhance one’s knowledge of the Bible and to anchor one’s life in living the Word of God.

Marriage Preparation: The parish's marriage preparation program prepares couples for a lifetime of mutual love and fidelity. Infant Baptism Ministry: In welcoming the families of infants brought to be baptized into our community of faith, the essentially communal nature of the sacrament is stressed, relating baptism to the other sacraments of initiation, such as confirmation and Eucharist. Its mission is to support the parents in their understanding of Baptism as the first of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic faith.

Youth: This Ministry focuses on the youth of the parish. It provides activities on a year-round basis to draw the youth closer to God and to make them active in parish life.

Young Adults: A new ministry being developed to focus on the young adults of the Parish to enable them to be active in parish ministry beyond the youth ministry.

Family Enrichment: A program designed to enrich the spiritual faith journey of families in the Parish.

Cana-Zoar Ministry: Cana’s principal purpose is to make known, and for the couples to experience, the active presence of God in their relationship as husbands and wives. Members of the St. Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Parish Community are offered the opportunity to experience this truly joyful, uplifting and spiritual nourishing encounter in Cana retreats, reunions and fellowship. It is basically a ministry to enhance the relationship between husband and wife.

Confirmation: Prepares high school students for the Sacrament of Confirmation to help them build a closer relationship with God beyond Catechism.

Quinceañera: A community and family celebration of thanksgiving, filled with tradition and meaning. A young girl who turns 15 is symbolically escorted into womanhood by her family and the event is witnessed by her community.

Religious Education: The mission of St. Lorenzo Ruiz Faith Formation Program is to minister to and assist the entire family in the lifelong process of growth in our Catholic faith. In the spirit of our parish maxim, “Bringing the Faith Home,” we offer a number of programs to meet the various needs of our community: First Communion, Elementary or Junior High Programs: VIRTUS, VBS, Teaching Touching Safety, Safeguard the Children.

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC): This Program is especially designed for children beyond the usual age who have not been baptized and/or received First Communion. This two-year program prepares these children for the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation as individually needed.